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Abstrakt Lake — Moments / Elements
(Bandcamp no#, 2026, DL)

by Peter Thelen, Published 2026-05-09

Moments / Elements Cover art

The instrumental electro-organic project of Lithuanian expat composer Balthazar Klimt, Moments / Elements is the follow-up tp 2025’s Meanderings, and it  might as well be said right here at the beginning of the review that this one clearly captures his primary methods of building compositions from de-constructed and re-constructed field recordings better than either of the two before it. Raw sounds are captured, processed, often organized into loops, sometimes processed further, and ultimately combined with vintage Soviet Era electronics and analog synthesizers in the final stage of the process, yielding arrangements that in some ways resemble the classic electronic music of yesteryear, but with a distinct rough-hewn character and unusual textures. The opening track “St George’s Fire” spends nearly two minutes stretching out and breathing mysterious electronics with some interesting subtleties under the surface before a rhythm is found, comprised of recorded percussive bits all layered on top of one another, over which either recorded voices (or a Mellotron, really the same thing...) fly on high over the choppy rhythms and deep bass pulses. The strange sampled percussive loop at the beginning of “Unquiet Drops” eventually coalesces into a regular beat, with a melody taking shape slowly from unknown origins, eventually descending into some thunderous mystery. As previously noted, this is all instrumental, without any conventional song structures or lyrics, even though at times some of the pieces are relatively ear-friendly. The looped sound of splashing water forms a rhythm at the beginning of “Vann Og Is,” but eventually gives way to heavier synth sounds and odd percussive loops until a regular cadence takes hold, driving the piece to its more melodic conclusion, while the brief “Zone 112” that closes the album grows as it goes into a strange magnificence. Of the eight pieces here, perhaps the most engaging is the time stretched “Garden of Sculptures” as it twists and bends under a beautiful synthetic trajectory, with sampled koto finally forming the basis of a melody that grows ever stronger and carries it to its conclusion. All taken, wonderful and interesting, and completely listenable.

Filed under: New releases, 2026 releases

Related artist(s): Abstrakt Lake (Balthazar Klimt)

More info
http://abstraktlake.bandcamp.com/album/moments-elements

 

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